Very intersting stuff going up on the Pyongyang Watch site.  First, an article from the Chosun Ilbo, "Children of Displaced Families Favored as Spouse Candidates", about how Northern Korean families who connected with relatives in the south were once looked upon in shame, but attitudes are changing.  The reason is that South Korean relatives have begun sending money to Northern relatives.  On the black market, gifts of cash can mean instant riches.  Ahh, capitalist greed at work.  [&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/champion/65/pyongyang_watch.htm">Link</a>&nbsp;]

Also, I can't resist a chance to plug my most favorite news service, the <a href="http://www.kcna.co.jp">Korean Central News Agency</a>, the state-run agency of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.  In today's report, today is the tenth anniversary of the publishing of Kim Jong Il's book <span class="book">Socialism is the Life of our Nation</span> (which for some reason, I couldn't find on Amazon):

<quote>los periodicos capitalinos, en sus articulos de hoy, senalan que la obra sirvio de una inmortal bandera que en una encrucijada decisiva: el socialismo o el capitalismo: seguir siendo el pueblo independiente o convertirse en esclavo del imperialismo infundio a los coreanos la invencible voluntad de lucha y el espiritu heroico de no renunciar el socialismo aunque tuvieran que morir diez o cien veces y llamo vigorosamente a la lucha por defender el socialismo coreano.</quote>

In translation:  "In today's articles, Pyongyang newspapers pointed out that the work served as an immortal flag which, at a decisive fork in the road: socialism or capitalism? to continue as an independent nation or turn into a slave of imperialism? infused the Korean people with the invincible will to fight and the heroic spirit to not renounce socialism, in the face of ten or a hundred deaths, and called them vigorously to the defense of Korean socialism."

--Also good stuff at TS Chang's site, who is covering the 16th National People's Congress in Beijing.  The Politburo has been expanded from seven members to nine, and analysts are hoping that Wen Jiabao rather than Wu Bangguo will replace Zhu Rongji, because Wen has a better track record "working in the province, local working experience and working in the State Council for this long".  [&nbsp;<a href="http://www.tschang.net/2002_11_01_archive#84572487">Link</a>&nbsp;]